THE COLOUR BAR
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sra,----There appeared in your issue of August 29th a letter from Mr. 0. R. Walkey drawing attention to alleged ill- treatment of natives by the Australian police: Your corre- spondent refers to the article by Lieut.-Col. Laieelles, Which
told of the successful efforts which had been made in New Zealand to solve the problem of the " Colour Bar," and says, inter alia, " one cannot help wishing that some such wise policy were adopted 'in the neighbouring Australii."
It is difficult to understand how anyone familiar with the characteristics of both peoples' could expect as much from the Australian aborigine as has been possible with the Maoris of New Zealand. The two peoples are poles apart in intelligence, aptitude and industry. The history of both countries shows that the natives were treated with scant respect by the early colonists—who happened to be Englishmen, unaffected by American police methods—but whereas the Maori won the confidence and esteem of the later colonist, the Australian aborigine has, generally speaking, proved quite unfitted to the duties and demands of civilized society. That there have been abuses one cannot deny, as in every other country which has a " colour problem," but a comparison of the conditions ruling in Australia with those of New Zealand is as unprofitable as the reference to American police methods in Australia is
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